By Humberside officer sacked over relationship lie
A volunteer police officer who lied about her relationship with a colleague has been sacked.
Humberside Police special sergeant Heather Spayne, 24, complained to the force’s professional standards unit about a Snapchat message in which the officer sent an explicit video of himself.
A misconduct panel found she was not honest about their previous relationship when he was investigated.
The panel was told her actions could have cost the officer, referred to as Officer G, his job.
The misconduct hearing was told Miss Spayne, who joined the force in 2019, raised a complaint last May after her colleague sent her the video of himself.
His actions prompted an investigation but when she was interviewed Ms Spayne claimed they were just friends.
The hearing was told Officer G had said the pair were together for several months but the relationship ended after Miss Spayne told him she was with someone else.
Other officers said the pair appeared to be romantically linked and described how they had been seen kissing passionately on a night out.
Ms Spayne, who did not attend the hearing, denied involvement in any relationship or doing anything which may have given Officer G that impression.
However, the hearing was told of messages sent to another police officer that made reference to her having “been dumped” by Officer G.
Ms Spayne admitted to professional standards when questioned that she may have given Officer G a misleading impression.
Delivering her verdict, panel chair Natalie Wortley said Ms Spayne’s actions were “deliberate and planned” and could have ended the other officer’s career.
She added the volunteer officer had shown no “genuine remorse or insight” and her actions had breached standards of professional behaviour in respect of honesty and integrity.
Ms Spayne was found guilty of gross misconduct and dismissed without notice.
